Monday, May 31, 2010

Salvage and Scrap

I needed a win. A big one. After the failed attempts of the past week, I was determined to get something right. I really think sewing could be something I like. I'm drawn to all the opportunities to be creative. I love the fabric store and if my kids weren't pleading boredom 10 minutes after our arrival I think I could get lost in there. My daughter is slowly coming around. I let her help me pick my fabrics now and she loves the thread display. She said it looks like a rainbow. She lovingly handles each spool and tells me "This one looks like a ladybug" or "This one looks like sunshine" or my favorite "This one looks like dead grass."

As I mentioned I was pretty discouraged about my first project, the table runner. But still the sewing machine called. I didn't really have the time or the cash to get lost in the fabric store so I assessed the supplies on hand to see if I even had enough of anything. I just started sewing so my supplies are meager but I found one half used spool of white thread, some blue and green polka dotted ribbon, and enough random fabric scraps to clothe a small army. Into cyberspace I went and I came across a tutorial for apillowcase dress.

It's the perfect project for beginners. Really. You basically lop off the top end of a pillowcase, cut armholes, hem said arm holes, create a casing on the neckline (look at me using fancy sewing words!) and thread ribbon through the top to create sleeve ties. It turned out so cute! The hardest part for me was actually the casing. I thought the armholes would be more difficult since they are curved but I guess since sewing a straight line is such a problem for me, I did much better when I had to curve around!

The project said it would take about thirty minutes. An hour and a half later I acutally made an adorable dress out of scrap and salvage that I would be proud to parade my daughter around in any time. Is it perfect? No. Not by a long shot. Did I use Ruby the Seam Ripper? Yes. Four times. But I did it. I used what I had, I made it myself, and I am so so proud of me!

3 comments:

Well done - looks terrific!! You stuck with it, which is more than I did. Anything to do with sewing needles drives me scatty, but I console myself with the thought that I can do other things, so if I can't master sewing, no big deal. You, and your precious little one can be right proud of you :-)